Bryce Harper is predicted to score a run against a pitcher he's dominated today, by NorthStar Bets. Harper has produced since returning from injury and has scored 12 runs in 12 games. Harper and the Phillies will be going up against Ross Stripling and the San Francisco Giants today which should bode well for the bet. It’s been tough sledding for Stripling and things shouldn’t get any easier tonight. This Phillies lineup is hitting a collective .348 against Stripling with 23 knocks in a combined 66 at-bats.
Ford 'disappointed' in Ottawa's handling of rocky Stellantis deal for EV battery plant
CBC
23-05-17 20:01
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has criticised the Canadian federal government for its handling of auto maker Stellantis, following its appeals for assistance with electric vehicle battery plant construction in Windsor. Both the provincial and federal authorities are keen to prevent Stellantis from ending its joint project with LG Energy Solutions, but Ford suggested it is up to the government to deliver on its promises. While Ottawa wants Ontario to pay its "fair share", Ford said the he is unsure what that equates to. The government wanted capital contribution and production subsidies to open Volkswagen's battery factory in St. Thomas, which was licensed in March.
Canadian province Prince Edward Island requires 1,200 extra health-care workers over the next decade, according to a report from health consultancy Health Intelligence. The report points out that the larger number of necessary hires is due to an extensive health system reform plan, which includes adding nurses, pharmacists and doctors to the network. A less ambitious reform plan would necessitate just 245 new workers, the report added. The Health Intelligence report considers factors including worker migration, retirement and mortality, and identifies major health problems affecting the province including cancer, diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease and cardiovascular issues.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a soft, stretchy skin patch that can monitor blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, and other vital signs with the potential to replace more bulky wearable devices. The device, which is less than half a centimetre thick, can be worn comfortably on the neck and chest and features a grid of tiny sensors that track the movement of skin as the heart beats or lungs respire, measuring blood pressure, glucose monitoring and other important health indicators. The patch is rechargeable via a specially designed watch and transmits data via Bluetooth to a smartphone or other wireless device for analysis. The researchers believe the device would be particularly useful for people who require continuous monitoring as a result of a serious illness, and could replace intrusive needles or cumbersome equipment. Teams are developing similar devices aimed at measuring blood sugar levels or tracking movement in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Canada's Environment Minister has said that it would be illegal for Saskatchewan's coal-fired power plants to run beyond 2030 without capturing emissions. Coal-based power plants must either close, be converted to natural gas-fired facilities or use carbon capture by the end of 2029 under Canada's five-year-old regulations. If the rules are violated, it would be an offence under the Canadian Criminal Code. However, Saskatchewan's Premier has argued that the province must run the coal plants to keep affordable and reliable energy supplies until their scheduled retirement dates, which will go well beyond 2030.
Enbridge punches back on Line 5 challenge: 'Nothing but counterfactual speculation'
CBC
23-05-17 19:14
Enbridge has argued there is no "imminent threat" of Line 5 collapsing in Wisconsin, in new court documents filed ahead of a cross-border pipeline hearing. On Thursday, a judge in Madison is set to hear oral arguments on a motion filed by the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa to shut the contested line down, citing the risk flooding renders the line more prone to rupture. Enbridge stated the risk was being managed and contested the "alarmist" position of the tribe. Shutting down the pipeline would carry significant economic implications, with Line 5 supplying refineries in Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario and Quebec, and helping supply major airports.
The Arizona Coyotes have been left with an uncertain future after a proposed $2.3bn Tempe Entertainment District referred to a public referendum failed to be passed by voters. The proposed development would have allowed the team, which has been plagued by instability since moving to Phoenix in 1996, to construct its own arena. The rejection of the project has left the team searching for alternative options, including a return to downtown Phoenix, a move to a new Phoenix suburb, or a possible relocation to elsewhere in the US or Canada.
Quebec education minister skewered for suggesting teachers don't deserve same pay hike as MNAs
CBC
23-05-17 22:42
Quebec's Education Minister, Bernard Drainville, has faced criticism for suggesting in a video interview that teachers' salaries should not be compared with that of other government employees, including members of the legislative assembly. Political columnist, Michel David asked Drainville why teachers should not be paid similar salaries to those in other Canadian provinces. In response, Drainville argued that a comparison between the work of a teacher and an MNA (member of the National Assembly) is "shaky" and even "a tad demagogic." Critics say the minister's comments betray his contempt for teachers and the profession.
Charles Elliott Pascal, one of North America’s leading education experts, has died. Pascal, who was born in Chicago in 1944, held numerous positions including Ontario’s first Early Learning Advisor under the province’s former Premier Dalton McGuinty, who recently praised him as “one of the most passionate and committed Canadians I have ever met”. Pascal was instrumental in creating the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, as well as helping to introduce full-day kindergarten in the province. Beyond his work in Canada, Pascal also advised governments and the UN around the world. In 2015, he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada.
Ontario to dissolve Region of Peel, government sources say
The Toronto Star
23-05-17 21:46
The Canadian province of Ontario is dissolving the Region of Peel, which includes the municipalities of Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon, in a move that will result in the largest cities, Mississauga and Brampton, becoming independent cities. It is unclear what will happen to the smaller municipality of Caledon. Peel Region is responsible for essential services like paramedics and recycling across the three municipalities. Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie has welcomed the move, saying her city will save CAD1bn ($750m) over 10 years, while Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown believes there must be proper consideration of infrastructure.
The Province of Ontario has delisted the bald eagle from its endangered species register, declaring it "not at risk." Successive government regimes have fostered a "safe home" for the birds of prey, with 2,600 nests counted in 2022, compared to 20 to 25 nest from reports in the 1990s. The eagle was threatened by pesticides but also contaminants in fish, its primary food source. Piccini said the province monitoring avian flu concerns and added the bald eagle was the only animal to be removed from the endangered list by the committee.
Toronto’s Johnson, Red Bulls’ Coronel shine in 0-0 draw
The Toronto Star
23-05-18 02:07
Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls played out a goalless draw on Wednesday night, with both teams registering 12 shots apiece. The result saw Toronto bring an end to a four-match losing streak in all competitions, although their meagre goalscoring record showed little sign of improvement. New York, meanwhile, scored for 16 consecutive matches in the fixture before the stalemate. The Red Bulls' Carlos Coronel and Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson both made three saves in the match.
The province of British Columbia will spend three times more on radiation therapy for cancer patients in the US than it would at home, excluding travel costs, according to the province. Beginning on 29 May 2021 and for patients requiring five fractions of radiation therapy, the cost of treatment would be $3,854 at home compared to $12,277 at two private clinics in Bellingham. The programme aims to mitigate unacceptable waiting times at home, and the ministry of health plans to set aside up to CAD39m ($32m) per year for the initiative.
The leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, has said that if he were to become prime minister, his government would pass legislation to ban repeat violent offenders from accessing bail. The announcement follows the introduction of new bail laws by the federal government aimed at making it more difficult for some repeat violent offences to gain release. However, experts believe Poilievre’s proposal is likely to be unconstitutional since it does not support the principle of giving accused suspects the opportunity to prove innocence.
What will Toronto's next mayor do to address food insecurity? Advocates press for solutions
CBC
23-05-18 08:00
Daily Bread Food Bank CEO Neil Hetherington hosted the first major debate of Toronto's by-election campaign earlier this week, with a view to exploring how candidates would tackle problems of food insecurity. Hetherington pointed out that housing affordability and low Ontario social assistance rates are directly contributing to the use of food banks, which have seen a doubling of clients during the pandemic. While some candidates set out ideas to address the issue, chef and activist Joshna Maharaj said she would have liked a greater focus on concrete solutions.
Canada's Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (Fintrac) has reported that shell companies, property and cryptocurrency might be used by Russians subject to financial sanctions in order to avoid them. The centre, which is designed to filter data for money launderers and inform law enforcement and security agencies of its findings, has said that people existing under the sanctions may try "to hide assets by transferring ownership to family members or close associates". Canada has previously instituted sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and businesses over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A funeral is being held in Ottawa for provincial police sergeant Eric Mueller, who was shot and killed while responding to reports of gunshots in the small town of Bourget. Two other officers were also injured in the incident on 11 May. Mueller joined the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) in 2002 and was promoted to sergeant in 2018, receiving a Commissioner's Citation for Lifesaving in 2015. His death takes the total number of police officers in Canada killed on the job in the past eight months to 10, with five dying in Ontario alone.
A district court judge in Wisconsin has heard arguments for and against the closure of Line 5, the cross-border pipeline running between the US and Canada. The Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa warned of the risk of a breach after spring flooding, claiming Enbridge Inc's pipeline has long since expired. The Canadian company says such concerns are overblown. The pipeline carries 540,000 barrels of oil and natural gas liquids daily across Wisconsin and Michigan to refineries in Ontario, supplying key refining facilities in Quebec and Nevada airport. Talks are ongoing between the two countries over the line's future.
Danish architects COBE, in collaboration with Toronto-based architectsAlliance, have designed two exceptional red brick apartment blocks for the Maple House at Canary Landing development in the West Don Lands area of Toronto. Dream, Kilmer Group and Tricon Residential developed the three-tower complex, which includes a pair of towers designed by COBE that offer 770 rental properties, 30% of which will be rented beneath market rates. The COBE buildings' prominent feature is the display of corbelled red brick, which rises up before culminating in an expanse of scalloped white concrete. A third block, designed by architectsAlliance, serves as a parking lot and loading dock entrance. COBE have made a speciality of weaving high-quality architecture with public space and the Toronto towers offer that approach in city neighbourhoods with contemporary urban design.
A wave of forest fires are affecting different parts of Canada in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and the Northwest Territories. Smoke haze from wildfires spreading across Western Canada were so thick that warnings of reduced air quality reached as far as northern Ontario. Climate change is said to be behind an increase in wildfires in Canada and has made them more frequent and destructive. So far in Alberta, 487 fires have started, with 92 of those still active. Alberta and Western Canada have a history of experiencing regular wildfires, though this year the number of blazes starting has exceeded expectations and the fire season has commenced earlier than predicted. Relentless fires are especially devastating for rural communities as learning about how communities deal with fires and how their people cope with them could provide important insights for emergency responders.
